


THE INN AT THE CROSSROADS

by BellaGracie



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Arya is a Mother, BFFs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-05-27 17:57:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15030122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellaGracie/pseuds/BellaGracie
Summary: I took this down for a while, so I could work on the structure a bit.Ended up being very busy, and didn't have time. The first chapter is as it was in the original. I cleaned it up a bit.Chapter 2: I had a little better sense of the timeline of what happened between Arya and Gendry, and that shows in the conversation between Gendry and Jeyne. I'm happy I was able to expand the conversation and clarify Gendry's feelings about Arya. Also hope I made it clear that Gendry and Jeyne were just a 'friends-with-benefits' kind of thing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to add a Jeyne/Gendry relationship tag, even though their relationship is pretty much over by the time this begins.

It was a quiet evening at the Inn at the Crossroads. The blacksmith and his assistant had just come in for their evening meal. The blacksmith's friend Hot Pie, who was cook at the Inn, cast the blacksmith a meaningful look.

"What is it?" Gendry grumbled. "Can it wait till after I've had my supper?"

"Fraid not, Gendry," Hot Pie said, approaching his friend.

"Look," Gendry said, flinging himself onto the nearest bench. "I've been working double time, mending those swords. Jeyne's probably cross that I haven't left the forge in several days. But work is work."

"This is not about Jeyne," Hot Pie said.

Gendry stopped abruptly and stared at him. "Is it -- no, it can't be." Gendry grasped Hot Pie's arm. "Is it Arya? Has she returned?"

"Sit down, man," Hot Pie said. "It's a long story."

"Where is she?" Gendry said. "I must see her."

Hot Pie shook his head with a mournful air. "You can't. She's gone."

All the color drained out of Gendry's face. "You mean, she was here? And no one thought to tell me? Where did she go off to?"

Hot Pie shrugged. "I'm sorry, Gendry, she wouldn't say. She did leave you a -- a gift, though."

Gendry's face twisted in pain. "What kind of gift?"

At that moment, they all heard a thin cry -- tremulous and weary. The thin, watery cry of a baby. Gendry froze and turned towards the sound. Jeyne was standing there, holding a bundle in her arms, a look of mingled apprehension and sorrow on her face as she looked at Gendry.

"This," Jeyne said. "This is the gift."

Gendry thought he was dreaming. With the intense way Jeyne was looking at him, he knew she had figured it out. She was no fool, and besides she had borne many children herself.

"Jeyne," Gendry said, moving forward hesitantly. Jeyne turned her eyes from Gendry. "There, there poppet," she said, a look of infinite tenderness in her eyes as she shushed the infant in her arms. "Your father's a silly man. A silly, silly man. Don't cry. You're safe now."

Gendry moved forward slowly, like a man swimming underwater. He opened his arms. Jeyne hesitated only a moment before placing the child in its father's arms.

"Careful," she said, unnecessarily. Gendry was holding the baby as if it were made of cut glass. The infant, sensing the stiffness in his arms, twisted its little body and screamed. It was a boy, Gendry saw, as Jeyne lifted the blanket. His son had a thick head of dark hair, so much like his own. The seed is strong, came into his head. He bit his lip and looked up at Jeyne. "I -- it was only the one time, Jeyne, I swear -- "

Jeyne put a hand on his arm. "You don't owe me any explanations, Gendry," she said. "I know what we are. But Ar -- the Lady Arya, she was adamant that the child be left here. She said she was going on a mission -- " "

A mission?" Gendry said. "What sort of mission?"

"I don't know," Jeyne said. "Something to do with a list. She said you would understand."

Gendry did understand. "Did she say when she'd be coming back?" Jeyne shook her head. Gendry's eyes dropped once again. His son was fisting his hair, his little mouth making round O's of astonishment. Carefully, Gendry moved to a bench and sank down on it. Hot Pie sat next to him.

"She loves you, you know," Hot Pie said, softly. Gendry didn't answer. Something bitter rose to his tongue, but he bit it down. He nodded. "How did she look?" he asked.

"Good," Hot Pie said. "She looked good. Strong. She said the baby was born on the 18th of August."

"Two months ago!" Gendry said. "At Winterfell?"

"No," Hot Pie said. "Not at Winterfell. She had it in a field. She was all by herself."

The pain was sudden and jolting. It almost unmanned Gendry.

"No one knows, Gendry," Hot Pie continued. "Not even her family. And we -- me and Jeyne -- swore to keep it a secret until -- well, until Arya knows for sure no one will try and harm the child."

Gendry glanced gratefully at his friend. "Thank you," he whispered. The baby squirmed again and made a bleating cry.

"She was feeding it from the breast," Jeyne put in. "Likely it's past its feeding time now."

Gendry felt helpless. He didn't know the least bit about feeding an infant. Jeyne came forward. Without a word, she bent forward and slipped her right pinky into the baby's mouth. The baby sucked greedily at it. Jeyne, Hot Pie, and even Gendry laughed.


	2. SON

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm slowly re-working this story. I wanted to have Arya watching (spying on) Gendry as he puts their son to sleep but decided to focus on Gendry's conversation with Jeyne.

The infant sleeps by Gendry's side. Gendry can't stop staring at his son. They managed to get him fed -- luckily, one of the goats had just given birth and her teats were bursting with milk. Jeyne laid the babe down next to Gendry and said, "I'd advise you to get some sleep, while you can. Your son'll be up in a few hours, wanting more."

The air in the little room is close and thick. It's what used to be Gendry's room, before he moved to the forge and let Jeyne know they could never be what she wanted them to be. She's been kind to him, and he's been lonely. But she knew he was in love with someone. And now -- ?

Gendry nods gratefully at her. "I don't know how to thank you -- " he begins.

Jeyne waves him off. "Raise him well," she says, quietly. "That's how you thank me." She turns to leave, but Gendry says, "Stay with me a little." He's scared, that's what it is. He's scared to be alone with the little infant.

Jeyne sighs and gingerly seats herself down on Gendry's bed. She places a hand on the infant's back and it gives a little burp of contentment then continues sleeping. "So, you and  -- " she begins.

Gendry nods, his cheeks suddenly flaming with heat. "Yes," he says. "Me and -- Arya."

Jeyne's quiet a moment, trying to process this knowledge. So that's who Gendry's been in love with, all this time!

"And," Jeyne says, still hesitantly, "you didn't think, she didn't think -- didn't either of you know how babies are made?"

"Of course we knew," Gendry says. "I did, at any rate. But I didn't expect it to go so far. And it was only the one time . . . "

"You meant for it to happen again, though," Jeyne says, looking him straight in the eyes.

Gendry lets go her hand and lies heavily back down on the bed. He looks up at the ceiling. "I don't know what I meant. I wanted her. But she was so young . . . "

"Hot Pie said you traveled together, the three of you," Jeyne says. "A good long way. What happened? How'd you get separated?"

"It was the Red Woman," Gendry says. His eyes grow dark as he remembers. "She bought me."

"Bought you?" Jeyne says. "How could she buy you? Were you a slave?"

"No. Arya and Hot Pie and me were captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners. They were going to ransom her to one of her brothers. But the Red Woman saw me and offered them gold for me. Arya stayed with the Brotherhood . . . Later, I managed to escape the Red Woman, with the help of Ser Davos. And I went back to King's Landing, found work on the Street of Steel. And tried to glean what I could about the Starks. That's when Arya and I met up again. That's when we -- " Gendry stops. He swallows.

"She was in love with you," Jeyne whispers. "She went looking for you."

"I don't know about that," Gendry protests.

"She was. Why else would she have gone back to King's Landing? She was looking for you. Why couldn't you two have stayed together, then?"

"She had a list," Gendry says. "She was on a mission to get revenge for her family by killing the people on her list."

"I bet the Red Woman was on it," Jeyne says, with a knowing -- and also bitter -- smile. She can almost believe in true love, the way Gendry's face gets when he talks about Arya.

Gendry stays silent.

"She'll be back, you know," Jeyne says. "Better marry her then."

"I can't," Gendry says.

"Why? Because you're low-born?"

"Partly that, yes. But mostly -- because she's so fierce, and so brave, and so careful with her heart. She told me she couldn't be anyone's wife. She wants her freedom, above all else."

"Ah, women all say that," Jeyne says. "In the beginning."

They sit in silence for a while. Gendry feels his heart breaking. The love of his life gave birth to their child alone, in a field. The thought distresses him. He gives a long, low moan. The baby stirs.

"Hush, now!" Jeyne scolds. The baby's arms fly up, but she strokes its back gently and after a few moments it settles back into sleep.

Gendry looks at his child, at the thick thatch of hair, at the infant's small belly which is tight and round, full of good milk. He wants to press both fists into his eyes and weep. He doesn't know why, he trembles. He should be happy. He has a son.

"Your son looks just like you," Jeyne says. She reaches over and strokes his hair. "Such a handsome bull," she murmurs.

"Well, we'll have to -- " Gendry begins, then stops.

"We'll have to what?" Jeyne asks, a little sharpness in her tone.

"We'll have to -- yes, we'll have to," Gendry says.

"Have to what?" Jeyne asks. She can't help a little hope creeping into her chest.

"Feed it -- in a few hours," Gendry says.

Jeyne nods. "I know. I won't be far. Try and get some sleep."

Gendry nods and wipes the tears from his cheeks. He wants to rail at the injustice of it all. He, a bastard of Robert Baratheon, in love with a girl who doesn't want to be his wife. And now he is a father!


	3. KEEPING A SECRET

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gendry's first night with his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tweaked it a bit -- took out parts that were too 'friendly' between Gendry and Jeyne (lol), put in a little bit more of the need to keep the baby a secret from the guests at the Inn, and at the very end, added something about Gendry's wanting to talk to Hot Pie about Arya.

The baby wakes in the middle of the night, just as Jeyne told him it would. Gendry fumbles for a candle. Panicked by the baby's thin insistent wail, he leaps off the bed and notices that the bedding is wet. The baby screams. He curses under his breath -- not at his son, but out of anxiety. There are travelers at the inn; they might ask questions the next morning. He should have taken his son and slept at the forge. He hears voices, and holds his breath. Then a candle sheds its light into the room. Jeyne stands at the door, her face heavy with fatigue.

"It's crying," Gendry says.

"That I can tell," Jeyne says, coming forward. Gendry stands by the bed, blocking her way.

"Move," she says.

He moves.

Jeyne stoops to pick up the child. As soon as the infant is in her rooms, the loud wailing subsides. Gendry cautions, "It's wet the blanket."

She snorts. "Stupid bull," she mutters. "Of course it's wet the blanket."

"I'm sorry," Gendry says. He rubs his eyes. What time is it? He's going to have to be at the forge. His assistant's nothing but a green boy. Gods, Gendry thinks.

Jeyne snorts. "You're never going to have a full night's sleep, not for many moons, Bull. You're going to have to set up a bed in the forge."

"I know," Gendry says. "I'm sorry."

Her voice softens, "Grab a fresh blanket. The baby's cold. You can get the one from my bed. It's warm, at least."

Gendry goes to fetch the blanket. When he returns, the baby's quieted. Jeyne's letting it suck her thumb. "I'll warm up some goat milk. Can you hold him a bit?"

Gendry nods and opens his arms.

"Maybe if you try humming or something," Jeyne says. "I'll be quick."

She goes, but leaves the candle. In the faint, flickering light, Gendry gazes down at his son. He hasn't even asked what name Arya gave it. He should have. He really is a stupid Bull. He's lost in thought, staring intently down at the infant, when Jeyne returns.

"Go to the forge," she says. "I'll manage."

"But the guests -- ?" Gendry says. To tell the truth, he doesn't want to let his son out of his sight. It's a child he and Arya made together. His heart squeezes with both joy and sorrow.

"You're right," Jeyne says. "There's that one nosy gentleman who's just come from King's Landing, he's got a loose tongue and if he lets out that -- "

"Give him to me," Gendry says resolutely, opening his arms.

"No," Jeyne says. "We'll have to wrap him up good first. It's cold out there. You go ahead, bring some bedding with you. I'll follow, soon as the babe's had his fill of the goat's milk." There's a brief silence. Jeyne says, slowly, hesitantly, "How will you manage to keep him hid? That apprentice of yours, he won't talk, will he?"

Gendry says, "No, he won't talk. He's a good lad. Loyal."

Jeyne says, "Good. Now, get started."

Gendry nods and staggers down the stairs. He is surprised to see Hot Pie by the ovens, and the fire roaring out, hungry for the loaves the innkeeper is preparing to thrust in. Hot Pie looks as exhausted as Gendry feels.

"You all right?" Hot Pie asks.

"Yes," Gendry says. There are so many things he wants to ask his friend. About Arya, and how she looked. He is jealous that she trusted Hot Pie but not him. Still, he can't dwell on it. It will make him careless. "I'm going to the forge," Gendry tells Hot Pie.

"I'll bring over a hot loaf, later," Hot Pie says.

Gendry nods and heads quickly out into the cold.


End file.
